While agriculture development is estimated to be over three times more effective at poverty reduction in low-income countries thatn investments in other areas, nearly 70% of small-holder demand for agricultural finance goes unmet. At the same time, close to 20% of Africa’s population is hungry and slightly more than 17% are undernourished. Despite the abundance in arable land on the continent, Africa’s import dependence is expected to rise to 25% by 2025.
At EMSI, we advise and provide legal support to global food, beverage and agriculture companies in the implementation of their innovative projects and transactions across the agricultural supply and food processing value chain.
Our clients’ objectives range from the delivery food security for vulnerable populations and improved livelihoods, affordable financing for smallholder farmers as well as management and reduction of post-harvest losses to introduction of new food and beverage products into the market.
Recent assignments include drafting contract farming agreements with smallholder pyrethrum farmers and providing legal, regulatory and transaction advisory services for large scale agricultural and irrigation schemes structured as Public Private Partnerships. We have also advised on the restructuring and market expansion of client in the post-harvest and storage solutions sector from a single country to six jurisdictions across the African continent as well as on term sheets and funding agreements for a small holder farmer financial services provider.